Team Stats

Passing Yards

Rushing Yards

Turnovers

Time of Poss.

COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Tech is looking to win its third in
a row over Jacksonville State Saturday night in Tucker Stadium when
the Gamecocks visit for a crucial Ohio Valley Conference game. Two
of the teams that shared the OVC title a year ago, both Tech and
JSU have already suffered league losses in 2012 and are trying to
stay in the race.

A host of freshmen are already being thrust into key roles for the
Golden Eagles.

JSU comes in with a 1-1 OVC record following a loss at Eastern
Kentucky and a home win over Southeast Missouri. The Golden Eagles,
meanwhile, are off to an 0-2 league start with
road losses at Southeast Missouri and Murray State.

The Golden Eagles are piecing together a lineup that has been
devastated by injuries through the first five weeks. Last week,
runningbacks Bud Golden and
Adam
Urbano were available at the same time for the first game since
the opener, but Tremaine Hudson
was lost. Linebacker Matt Moran also saw
his first action of the season.

Those players helped ease Tech's troubles somewhat, but the
coaching staff is still looking to patch up some holes,
especially in the secondary where starter Marty Jones
is one of five players lost for the year. Another starter, Austin
Tallant, is questionable for Saturday's game. True freshmen Jimmy
Laughlin (strong safety) and William Dillard
(cornerback) fill two of the four starting spots in the
secondary.

The Tech offense continues to put up big numbers behind
quarterback Tre Lamb, who is
ranked among league leaders in nearly every passing and total
offense category. JSU brings a typical Gamecock team to town, with
a balanced offense that combines a powerful running game with a
passing game that's extremely effective. The JSU running game is
led by DeMarcus James, Troymaine Pope and Washaun Ealey, while
quarterback Marques Ivory has found 11 different receivers, topped
by Alan Bonner.

The JSU defense has 10 different players who've reached double
digits in tackles.

Saturday's game features two special events -- it's Family Weekend
on campus, and Football Legends Night at the game. All former
Golden Eagle football players are invited back for the game and to
be recognized.

GAME NOTES: Two of the three teams who tied for
the OVC Championship a season ago will meet in Cookeville on
Saturday. Jacksonville State leads the all-time series 9-6 but
Tennessee Tech has won each of the last two years, costing the
Gamecocks a share of the OVC Championship in 2010 and an outright
title in 2011. Last year TTU entered the contest ranked 19th
nationally and topped the 13th ranked JSU team on its home field
21-14. Dontey Gay rushed for 95 yards and a score for Tech while
Calvin Middleton (69 yards) and Washaun Ealey (68 yards) led the
JSU rushing attack. Jax State was driving for a potential
game-tying score, but a fumble at the TTU 28-yard line with 1:25 to
play ended the game. Saturday’s contest is the first home
game for TTU since Sept. 6 (the team has played its last three
games on the road).
SCOUTING JACKSONVILLE STATE: Jacksonville State rebounded
from its loss at Eastern Kentucky by topping Southeast Missouri
31-16 to improve to 1-1 in OVC play. It marked the first time this
season JSU had scored 30 or more points in a game. The Gamecocks
led just 17-16 early in the fourth quarter before scoring the final
14 points of the game, on a 20-yard touchdown catch by Alan Bonner
and an 8-yard touchdown run by DaMarcus James in front of 16,842
fans. James finished the day with 149 yards on 21 carries (7.1 ypc)
and two touchdowns; it marked his second 100-plus yard game of the
season. Quarterback Marques Ivory was efficient, completing
14-of-18 passes for 161 yards and two scores. Ivory has thrown at
least one touchdown pass in three of four games this season and
ranks fifth on the JSU career passing touchdown list (30). Bonner
finished the day with seven catches for 92 yards and the fourth
quarter touchdown. Pierre Warren and Caleb Lawrence each had nine
tackles to lead the Gamecock defense. That defense held the
Redhawks to just 56 yards passing.

SCOUTING TENNESSEE TECH: Tennessee Tech fell
behind 35-7 to a hot Murray State team on Saturday and ended up on
the short end of a 70-35 decision on Saturday night in Murray.
Freshman Ladarius Vanlier was named National Specialist of the Week
by the Sports Network after registering 291 all-purpose yards (the
fourth-most in TTU history and seventh-most in the FCS this year)
and setting an OVC record with 11 kickoff returns. Vanlier returned
those 11 kickoffs (which was just one off the NCAA record) for 237
yards (13 yards shy of the OVC record) including a 94-yard
touchdown in the second quarter. The 94-yard touchdown was the
sixth-longest in school history and ninth-longest in the FCS this
year. Tre Lamb threw for 278 yards and two touchdowns, moving him
into third place in TTU history for career passing yards (4,847).
Lamb currently ranks seventh nationally in passing efficiency
(159.63) and eighth nationally in each passing yards/game (283.6)
and points responsible for (16.8). Cody Matthews caught three
passes for 119 yards and a touchdown; it marked his first career
100-yard receiving game.